Social Capital and Irrigation Resource Management in Japan

Abstract

"This paper concerns an empirical case study on the collective action of a large number of irrigators who successfully manage their large-scale irrigation system, a humanly-made closed-access common-pool resource (CPR) in Japan. While government's economic investment is important, the study has observed that the social capital that the irrigators have traditionally built in is a critical factor for the successful self-management of common irrigation resource system. When Japanese government invests in physical capital, it plays a supportive role attaching a special priority to the irrigators' social capital and does not coerce them to manage their irrigation system."